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Exotics and random anatomy > Ferrets > Flashcards

Ferrets Flashcards

1
Q

The ferret is a domesticated form of what animal? What are they used for?

A

Polecat

Pets, pest control, sport, racing, labs

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2
Q

What kingdom, phylum, class, order and family are ferrets?

A 
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Mustelidae
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3
Q

What is a female ferret called if entire or neutered?

A 
Entire = jill 
Neutered = sprite
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4
Q

What is a male ferret called if he is entire, neutered or vasectomised?

A 
Entire = hob
Neutered = gib 
Vasectomised = hoblet
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5
Q

What is a baby ferret called?

A

Kitten or pup

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6
Q

Are males are females later in size? What is the lifespan of a ferret?

A

Hobs much larger than jills

6-9 years

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7
Q

Describe the coat of ferrets

A

Fine dense undercoat

Course guard hairs

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8
Q

How often do ferrets moult?

A

2x year

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9
Q

Where is ferret skin thickened and why?

A

Back of neck

Prevent injury when fighting/mating

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10
Q

Why are ferrets prone to overheating and heat exhaustion

A

NO sweat glands

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11
Q

Where are sebaceous glands found in ferret?

A

All over

Higher density around mouth and anus

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12
Q

When do sebaceous glands secretions increase? What effect does this have on the coat?

A

Breeding season

Coat becomes oily and yellow

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13
Q

What is a characteristic of mustelids?

A

Well developed anal glands

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14
Q

Which type of gland cause the anal gland smell? Is anal sacculectomy legal in the UK?

A

Sebaceous glands

Illegal - mutilation

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15
Q

Ferrets have a long spine to make them efficient hunters. What is their vertebral formula?

A 
C7
T15
L5
S3
Cd18
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16
Q

Why are ferrets prone to fractures?

A

Lightweight bones

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17
Q

How many toes do ferrets have? Are they retractable

A

5 per foot

No

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18
Q

Ferrets have a typical carnivorous skull. What is the orbit like? What about the jaw and relative cranium size?

A

Incomplete orbit
Jaw has little/no lateral movement
Short jaw, large cranium

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19
Q

Are ferrets nocturnal or diurnal? How is the eye adapted to this? What shape is the pupil?

A

Nocturnal
Tapetum lucid
Horizontal slit

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20
Q

Ferrets have seasonal reproduction. What stimulates reproduction in ferrets? What hormones is responsible for this?

A

Photoperiod

Via pineal gland and melatonin

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21
Q

What is the deciduous and permanent dental formula for ferrets?

A 
Deciduous = 4/3, 1/1, 3/3, 0/0
Permanent = 3/3, 1/1, 3/3, 1/2
22
Q

At what age do ferret deciduous and permanent teeth erupt?

A 
Deciduous = 3wks (can damage teat)
Permanet = 2 months
23
Q

How many salivary glands are in the ferret? What are these?

A

5

Zygomatic, submandibular, parotid, sublingual, molar

24
Q

What is the purpose of saliva in ferrets? Which salivary glands have no amylase?

A

Lubrication (cf to digestion)
Parotid
Submandibular

25
Q

Do ferrets chew their food? Are they able to vomit and whY?

A

No - huge stomach allows gorging

Yes can vomit as no gastro-oesophageal sphincter

26
Q

What type of breathers are ferrets? Why are they difficult to tube?

A

Not obligate nasal breathers, but prefer nasal breathing

Small nostrils - not much room for nasogastric tube

27
Q

How many lobes do ferret lungs have?

A

Left (2) - cranial, caudal

Right (4) - cranial, caudal, middle, accessory

28
Q

What is relevant about the thoracic inlet of a ferret?

A

Very narrow inlet

Any abnormality = severe respiratory compromise

29
Q

Where should you auscultate on a ferret? What is their heart rate?

A

More caudally than dog/cat - 6-8th rib

180-250bpm

30
Q

What is used to assess CV performance in ferrets? Why?

A

Urine output - indirect measurement of CO

Pulse not always palpable

31
Q

Is the PVC in a ferret high, low or normal? Can you give them blood transfusions?

A

Normally high

Yes - don’t need to match blood

32
Q

What can be used for venipuncture in ferrets?

A

Cephalic vein
Jugular vein
Tail artery (lab animals)

33
Q

Ferrets have similar kidneys to dogs and cats, however a different serum chemistry. What is different about creatinine levels in kidney disease?

A

Creatinine does not rise parallel with increased urea

34
Q

Why is urethral blockage common in the ferret? Why is catheterisation difficult?

A

Prostate enlargement associated with adrenal disease

J shaped, os penis

35
Q

At what age do ferrets reach puberty? Do they have precocial or altricial litters?

A

6-9 months

Altricial

36
Q

What type of breeders are jills? What type of ovulators are they?

A

Seasonal breeders, monoestrus

Reflex ovulators

37
Q

How can ferrets be sexed?

A

Size difference
Males have obvious testes and penis, preputial opening on abdomen
Females have vulva that swells when in season

38
Q

What type of uterus do jills have?

A

Similar to dog

Bicornuate uterus

39
Q

Hobs have similar repro anatomy to a dog. What is the major differences?

A

Os penis is J shaped

Small testes

40
Q

Why can’t jills be spayed? What does this cause?

A

Must mate - failure to mate = high oestrogen which causes bone marrow depression, anaemia and death

41
Q

What can be done to female ferrets in order to prevent them dying from not mating?

A

Mate with vasectomised hob

Give chemical oestrus suppression drugs

42
Q

What artery provides blood supply to the adrenal glands? Which gland is more cranial?

A

Ipsilateral renal artery

Right is more cranial as above kidneys

43
Q

Adrenal disease is increasingly common in ferrets. What is it NOT associated with, that it is in the dog? What is ferret adrenal disease associated with?

A

In dog is associated with pituitary and overproduction of corticosteroids
Not in ferrets
Ferrets associated with neutering and abnormal photoperiod. Associated with sex hormones from zona reticular of adrenal glands

44
Q

How does neutering cause adrenal disease in ferrets?

A

Adrenal glands have cells with LH receptors
Neutering removes -ve feedback so causes high GnRH, LH and FSH
LH continuously stimulates adrenal cells –> hyperplasia and neoplasia

45
Q

How does increased photoperiod cause adrenal disease in ferrets?

A

Alters melatonin levels
Reduced melatonin increases hypothalamus activity
Increases GnRH and LH

46
Q

How can adrenal disease be prevented in ferrets?

A

Keep jills with hoblet
GnRH agonist injections (suprelorin)
Can neuter if mature

47
Q

What is the size of the thoracic cavity and lungs in relation to the ferrets body?

A

Large lungs and thoracic cavity

But narrow inlet

48
Q

What valve in the GI tract do ferrets not have? What else do they not have?

A

Ileocolic valve
Appendix
Caecum

49
Q

Why do ferrets struggle with high fibre diets?

A

No caecum

50
Q

Sterilisation of males and females can result in adrenal gland disorders. Why are females often sterilised?

A

If unmated, post oestrus anaemia

Exotics and random anatomy (23 decks)

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